As the Von Trapps get ready to escape over that mountain one last time, casting has been announced for Sister Act, its equally nun-packed replacement at the Palladium. It's not going to be a stage version of the movie; apart from the fact that there's an entirely new score, the characterisation seems to be somewhat different. Gangster's moll-turned-police informant Deloris will be played by 24-year-old Patina Miller, making her West End debut in the role that Whoopi Goldberg made famous. Sheila Hancock will return to Theatreland as the Mother Superior played in the film by Maggie Smith. Private Pike, aka Ian Lavender, has the role of Monsignor Howard, and eagle-eyed obsessives will notice Amy Booth-Steel in the chorus. She's one of the girls who failed to please Andrew Lloyd Webber in the last round of reality TV casting, and who went on to distinguish herself in one of the worst-received shows in recent history, All Bob's Women.

• More positive whispers abound about the Broadway transfer of Craig Revel-Horwood's production of Sunset Boulevard. It's currently running at the Comedy theatre and stars Kathryn Evans as the faded movie queen Norma Desmond. Expect confirmation of a winter trip across the Atlantic soon.

• When Sunset leaves the West End, there will still be plenty of musicals around. The vogue for drag will continue until the end of the year; the Palace is preparing for Priscilla, and the producers of La Cage aux Folles have announced that its run at the Playhouse has been extended until September. No word on whether Graham Norton will remain in the role of Albin – he is currently contracted until April .

• The Olivier nominations have been announced, and unsurprisingly – and deservedly – La Cage is up for best musical revival, with Douglas Hodge and Denis Lawson both in the running for best actor in a musical. For what it's worth, my choices in the individual musical theatre categories would be Hodge as best actor, the spellbinding Elena Roger as best actress for Piaf, which she carried, and Alexander Hanson as best supporting performance for Marguerite – simply for managing to make the Nazi officer the only sympathetic character in the entire show. We'll see whether any of my selections get the prizes on 8 March.

Hot ticket: It might be wintry weather outside, but it's springtime at the Lyric Hammersmith. The multi-Tony-winning Spring Awakening has extended its run until March and, having seen a preview last week, I couldn't recommend it more – if sex, masturbation, violence, sadomasochism and swearing are your bag. Don't expect a faithful rendition of the Wedekind original with period music; it's a lively, youthful, authentic, vibrant show, with a cast of young people making their professional debuts. It doesn't have the gloss that's often ladled on to musical theatre productions – I'd go so far as to call it a Rent for the 21st century.